Iruka glared up as a paper bullet was being thrown at him. He glanced across the table and looked at his friend, who was giving him a lazy grin and throwing another paper bullet at him.
“Kotetsu, that’s enough.” Iruka scowled. He was already having a bad day, having to deal with a bunch of kids early in the morning and skipping lunch because of his unfinished pile of work. And here, in the mission office, his friend was acting like another kid.
“Na, Iruka, I have something to ask you.” The lazy grin never left his face as Kotetsu sauntered over to where Iruka was sitting.
“What?” Iruka looked away and continued reading the report in front of him.
“Is it true that you and Kakashi are… Together?” Iruka choked and glanced up at his smirking friend.
“Na… Nani? What the hell are you talking about?” Iruka sputtered. But he couldn’t help the blush that was spreading across his cheek.
“Aw…. So cute. But let’s not deny it. We’ve seen how the two of you always walk together. It’s almost like you are going on dates.” Kotetsu laughed.
‘I should talk to Kakashi about this and reduce the frequency of our appearances in public.’ Iruka gritted his teeth and mentally noted.
“Well….?” Kotetsu drawled, looking at his friend for the answer.
“No, Kotetsu! There is nothing between me and Kakashi. And if I ever hear you spreading this rumor around, I will strangle you and throw you into the river.” Iruka growled.
“Hmm… But apparently, that’s not what everybody thinks. Everyone thought you two are an item.”
“For the last time Kotetsu, I am NOT with Kakashi. Never ever! Not even when he’s the last person on earth. So stop bothering me about this and find someone els-…..” Iruka glanced up and saw that his friend had shifted his attention away, and is now glancing at the window behind him.
“H…Hi, Kakashi, fancy seeing you here.” Iruka froze at the mention of the copy ninja’s name.
“Aa… I’m here to submit my mission report.” That familiar drawl. Iruka groaned inwardly.
“Oh… Well, I’ve got to deliver some documents to Hokage-sama. I will see you around.” In a flash, Kotetsu was out of the room.
Iruka’s mind began to work overtime, trying to find an explanation for his words earlier. Before he could even react, the copy ninja was standing in front of him, handing his report over.
“Here’s my mission report.” Kakashi stretched out his other hand. “And here’s your lunch. I’m sure you hadn’t had any yet.” He smiled. Iruka felt a pang of guilt wash over him.
“Kakashi, I don’t mean to say that earlier.” Iruka started, as he took the mission report and the bento box from the silver-haired man.
“Don’t, Iruka. I understand.” Kakashi looked at him. He reached out his hand and traced the jaw line of the face that he knew so well, yet appeared so unfamiliar.
Iruka reveled in the touch for a moment before drawing back. Kakashi glanced at him.
“Kashi, we are in the mission office.” Iruka leaned back into his chair. Kakashi withdrew his hand and shove it into his pocket, his smile replaced with a sigh.
“You are right. I better get going before they suspect anything.” Iruka looked at the man before him and thought he saw a flash of pain in the one visible eye. Before he could react, the jounin was gone.
‘I’m sorry, Kakashi.’
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Iruka opened the door to his apartment and yawned. He glanced at the clock. It was way past 1am. He groaned. He had not expected to finish his work so late.
He went into the room and smiled when he saw the silver-haired jounin sleeping in his bed. He turned and began to pick out a fresh change of clothes.
“You are home.”
Iruka turned and smiled. “Did I wake you up?”
Kakashi sat up on the bed. “Nope. I couldn’t sleep without you around.”
Iruka laughed as he walked up to him.
“Then how did you sleep off the last twenty odd years of your life?” He planted a soft kiss on his lover’s forehead and looked at him. “Give me a minute while I shower and change.”
Kakashi nodded and watched as his lover left the room. He sighed.
‘I don’t know how long more I can hold this out, Iruka.’
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Iruka let the shower washed away his day’s of anxiety and worries. He thought about his life up till that point in time and sighed in happiness when his thoughts paused on a certain jounin with a weird sense of humor and an even weirder taste for books.
‘I need to apologise for what I said today. I must have hurt him.’
Iruka leaned back on the wall in exasperation. He had been with the jounin for close to half a year. But he had never made public about the relationship. He wanted to take things slow and knew that his lover understood. But somehow, he felt guilty about it.
With a frustrated sigh, Iruka turned off the tap and dried himself. Changing into fresh clothes, he stepped out of the bathroom.
“You are out.” Iruka looked up and smiled as his lover leaned against the kitchen counter and held out a glass of milk for him. He walked up to him and took the glass of warm milk in his hand. And considering that the glass of milk was prepared by his lover, it only serves to warm up his heart even more.
Kakashi watched as Iruka finished up the milk and reached out to fondle his face lovingly.
“I have something for you.” Kakashi winked and held up a necklace.
Iruka took it, breathless, as he fiddled with the two silver bands threaded by the necklace. “It’s beautiful.” He looked up at Kakashi, confusion evident in his eyes. “Kashi…”
“Keep it, Iruka. We will wear those rings when you are ready to tell the world about us. Until then, keep the rings as a reminder of my love for you.”
Iruka felt tears welling up in the corner of his eyes as he set down the empty glass down at the counter and wore the necklace around his neck. Smiling, he reached up to pull down the jounin’s mask before closing in the distance and gave him a deep, passionate kiss.
“Thank you, Kakashi.”
He felt the jounin smile as he pressed his lips against Iruka’s for another kiss. Iruka parted his lips and Kakashi took the opportunity to explore his mouth with his tongue. Iruka moaned into his mouth as the kiss intensified and they fought for dominance with their tongues.
Finally, after a long and heated intimate moment, they broke apart, gasping for breath. Iruka smirked and Kakashi returned it with a soft smile.
“I’m tired. Let’s go to bed.” Iruka gave his lover another peck on the lips and led him into the bedroom.
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Table of Contents
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Chapter notes: Kakashi understood why Iruka wanted to hold back their relationship from the eyes of the public. But will he be able to bear with the constant denial of Iruka's?
Chapter end notes: I thought I should start somewhere. So I guess I should give an overview of their 'relationship'.